Basket ball goal indicator



1934- R. F..WIEZEL ET AL 0,

BASKET BALL GOAL INDICATOR Filed Dec. 7, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l A all %%INVENT(IDRS ATTORNEYS.

NOV. 13, 1934. R wlEz ET AL 1,980,652

BASKET BALL GOAL INDICATOR Filed Dec. 7, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

' Patented Nov. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES BASKET BALL GOAL INDICATOR Rudolph F. Wiezel, Liverpool, and Henry G. Berberich, Syracuse, N. Y.

Application December 7, 1933, Serial No. 701,352

Claims.

This invention relates to goal indicators for basket goals, as the baskets used in basket-ball games where the ball drops through the basket, or passes through the throat thereof, and it has 6 for its object a goal indicator operated by the expansion of the throat when the ball is passing therethrough.

It further has for its object, a goal indicator including normally spaced apart terminals con- 10 nested in the legs of an electric circuit in which an electro-responsive signal, or indicator device, is connected, which terminals are brought toether to close the circuit by the expansion of the throat under the influence of the ball passing 1 5 therethrough.

It further has for its object, a basket in which the throat is provided with an expansible and contractile annular element through which the ball passes, and arranged to be expanded by the Q0 throat, and to operate a signal by the expansion thereof.

It has for its object a goal indicator which is particularly simple and economical in construction; and which can be readily applied to, or built into, the basket, and which is only operable by the ball passing through the basket.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and'constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a basket provided with our invention, the ball being also shown preliminary to passing through and expanding the throat to operate the goal indicator.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view on line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevation, looking upwardly in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view, similar to Figure 2, of a slightly different form of the invention of the construction shown in Figure 2.

Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged, sectional views taken respectively on lines 5-5 and 6-6, Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a view, similar to Figure 2, of another slightly diiferent. construction from that shown in Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a. diagrammatic view illustrating the operation of an electro-responsive signal.

This invention comprises generally, a basketball goal in which the net, or basket, is provided with a throat through which the ball passes, the

basket being usually open at its bottom so that the ball can fall through the basket, and the throat being of such diameter relative to the ball as to momentarily retard the ball in its passage through the basket, said throat being provided with means operated by the expansion thereof when the ball is passing therethrough for operating the signal, or indicator device. Preferably, the signal is electrically operated, and the expansion of the throat, under the influence of the ball passing therethrough, brings into contact two terminals connected in the legs of an electric circuit in which an electro-responsive signal, or indicator, is located.

1 designates a conventional basket which includes a hoop or ring 2 supported, as by a bracket 3, from the wall or backboard 4; and 5 is the basket, or net, depending from the hoop. The net contracts toward its lower end, that is it is conoidal, and is provided with a throat zone 6 which is of such diameter relative to the diameter of the ball '7 as to obstruct the free passage of the ball therethrough, and momentarily retard the same, the throat being expansible under the weight of the ball in order to permit the ball to pass therethrough after being momentarily retarded while the expansion is taking place.

In the illustrated embodiment of our invention, the throat is provided with an expansible and contractile annular element, here shown as including a ring 8 which is split, or divided, and has end portions 9 and 10 lapping each other, the annular element being secured in the net, or the throat portion thereof, in any suitable manner.

11 and 12 are normally separated terminals carried respectively by the lapping end portions 9 and 10 of the ring, one of these terminals, as 12, being spring pressed, or provided with a buffer spring 13 in order to permit further expansion of the ring 8 after the contacts are brought together. Also, the lapping ends of the rings are connected by a spring 14 for increasing the resiliency thereof in order to return them to their contracted positions and separate the terminals 11 and 12 after the ball has passed therethrough. The spring 14 is connected at its ends to lugs 15 and 16 provided respectively on the lapping end portions 9 and 10. The terminal 11 is here shown as mounted in a block of insulation 1'? connected to the end portion 9 by a suitable means as a rivet 18 extending through a slot 19 in the lapping end portion 10.

20 and 21 designate the legs of the electric circuit connected respectively by binding devices 22 and 23 to the terminals 11 and 12, the

binding device 23 being mounted upon the ring 8, so that the circuit is completed through the ring 8 to the terminal 12 carried by the ring 8, while the binding device 22 is directly on the terminal 11. Any electro-responsive device may be connected in the circuit for indicating the goal, and for the purposes of illustration, an electric lamp 25 is illustrated which flashes when the terminals 11 and 12 are brought together to close the circuit, the flash indicating that a goal has been made.

In Figure 4, the expansible and contractile element, in addition to the ring 80, includes a sleeve 26 consisting of a spiral spring which encloses the ring and the terminals 81, 82, corresponding to the terminals 11 and 12. This sleeve or spring 26 is expansible and contractile, and facilitates the expansion and contraction of the ring 80 without theuse of the spring 14, Figure 2. In Figure 4, the end portions 89 and 90 lap in substantially the same way as in Figure 2. In Figure '7, the ring 91, corresponding to the ring 8 Figure 2, is shown as enclosed in an elastic annular tube, as a rubber tube 92. In the construction shown in Figure 7, the end portions of the ring 91 do not lap, but are separated, and the terminals 93 and 94 are mounted in a block 95 of insulation secured in the ends of the tube 92 and joining the ends of the tube, the terminal 94 sliding in a passage in the block 95, and the terminal 93 also having a passage alined with the passage of the block, so that when the ring 91 and tube 92 are expanded, the terminal 94 passes into the passage of the terminal 93, and makes contact with said terminal 93 closing the circuit through the electro-responsive device. Inthe form shown in Figure 7, tension springs 96 and 97 connect opposite end portions of the ring 91 to the block and serve to contract the ring and tube to their normal position and hence, separate the terminals after the ball has passed through the throat of the net.

In any form of our invention, the signal is operated by the expansion of the annular throat by the ball passing therethrough.

The balls are of standard size, and the expansible throat of the net, or basket, including an expansible ring as 8, 80 or 91,'are normally of slightly less diameter than the ball, and are of such resiliency as to be expanded by the weight of the ball, or any force greater than the weight of the ball, so that when the basket-ball is dropped into the basket and into the throat thereof, it expands the throat or annular ex pansible means therein, and the indicator, or signal, is operated by the'expanslon action effected by theball passingthrough the throat of the basket. I

What we claim is:

1. In a basket-ball goal, the combination with a basket having a throat through which the ball passes, the throat having radially expansible and contractile'means of such dimension relative to the ball as to be expanded by the ball when passing therethrough through the throat, and indicator means operable by the expansion of said means.

v2. In a basket-ball goal, the combination of a basket having a net formed with a throat through which the ball passes, the throat being expansible and contractile, and of such dimension relative tothe ball as to be expanded by the ball passing therethrough, an electric circuit having an electro-responsive device therein, and normally separated terminals arranged-to be brought together'in contact by the expansion of the throat of the basket in order to close the circuit through the electro-responsive device.

3. In a basket-ball goal, the combination of a basket having a throat through which the ball passes, and including an expansible and contractile ring of such diameter relative to the ball as to be expanded by the ball passing therethrough, opposing separated terminals carried by the ring and movable into contact by the expansion of the ring, and an electric circuit having an electro-responsive device therein, the legs of the circuit being connected to said terminals respectively.

4. In a basket-ball goal, the combination of a basket having a throat through which the 90 ball passes, and including an expansible and contractile ring of such diameter relative to the ball as to be expanded by the ball passing therethrough, the ring having lapping end portions slidable relatively to each other during the expansion and contraction of the ring, opposing normally separated terminals carried by the lapping ends and movable into contact by the expansion action of the ring under the influence of the ball, and an electric circuit having an 10} electro-responsive device therein, the legs of the circuit being connected respectively to said terminals.

5. In a basket-ball goal, the combinationof a basket having a throat through which the ball passes, and including an expansible and contractile ring of such diameter relative to the ball as to be expanded by the ball passing therethrough, opposing separated terminals carried by the ring and movable into contact by the 11 expansion of the ring, and an electric circuit having an electro-responsive device therein, the legs of the circuit being connected to said terminals respectively, one of the terminals being spring pressed. V

6. In a basket-ball goal, the combination of a basket having a throat through which the ball passes, and including an expansible and contractile ring of such diameter relative to the ball as tobe expanded by the ball, the ring 1 having lapping end portions slidable relatively to each other during the expansion and contraction of the ring, opposing normally separated terminals carried by the lapping ends and movable into contact by the expansion action of the ring under the influence of the, ball,..and an electric circuit having an electro-responsive device therein, the legs of the circuit being con-, nected respectively to said terminals, oneof the terminals being spring pressed. i

7. In a basket-ball goal, the combination of a basket having a throat through which the ball passes, and including an expansible and contractile ring of such diameter relative to the ball as to be expanded by the ball, opposing normally separated terminals carried bythe ring and movable into contact by the expansion action of the ring under the influence of the ball, and an electric circuit having an electro-responsive device therein, the legs of the circuit being con- .nected respectively to said terminals, the ring ball passes, and including an expansible and contractile annular element of such diameter rela- 'tive tothe ball as to be expanded by the ball,

opposing normally separated terminals carried by said-element and movable into contact by 159 the expansion action thereof under the influence of the ball, and an electric circuit having an electro-responsive device therein, the legs of the circuit being connected respectively to said terminals, said element including an expansible and contractile sleeve consisting of an annular coiled spring.

9. In a basket-ball goal, the combination of a basket having a throat through which the ball passes, and including an expansible and contractile ring of such diameter relative to the ball as to be expanded by the ball, opposing normally separated terminals movable into contact by the expansion action of the ring under the influence of the ball, and an electric circuit having an electro-responsive device therein, the legs of the circuit being connected respectively to said terminals, the ring having an expansible and contractile sleeve surrounding the same.

10. In a basket-ball goal, the combination of a basket having a throat through which the ball passes, and including an expansible and contractile ring of such diameter relative to the ball as to be expanded by the ball, opposing normally separated terminals movable into contact by the expansion action of the ring under the influence of the ball, and an electric circuit having an electro-responsive device therein, the legs of the circuit being connected respectively to said terminals, the ring having an expansible and contractile sleeve surrounding the same, said sleeve consisting of an elastic tube surrounding the ring, and a block of insulation connecting the ends of the tube, the terminals being carried by said block, and one being connected to one end portion of the ring.

RUDOLPH F. WIEZEL.

HENRY G. BERBERICH. 

